Avatar: The Age of Fire
by FearReaper94
Summary: This story is set in an alternate universe where Fire Lord Ozai defeated Aang in their final battle. Now twenty years after Aang's death, a new water-bending Avatar is just beginning to rise. Can they master all four elements in a world that has been thrown off balance by greed and destruction?
1. Chapter 1

Avatar: Age of Fire

_The flame began as a spark, but now burns with a great intensity. Over a century ago, my great-grandfather, Firelord Sozin, declared war against the three other nations. The Fire Nation conquered and asserted their control tyrannically, bringing dishonor upon the fire-benders. I tried to fix the wrongs of my people with the help of my friend, Avatar Aang, but my father defeated him in their final battle. After Aang's death, I knew the cycle would begin anew. And though the loss of our friend left many of us lost and confused, I knew that I had to hunt down the Avatar once again. She was the worlds only hope._

_Twelve years after the rise of the Phoenix Lord_

Katara stared up at the full moon and the brilliant stars that lit the night sky. She was lost in thought thinking of the memories that haunted her slumber. They kept her awake into the late watches of the night, even after the Water Tribe's lookouts had fallen into an uneasy sleep. She would never forget Aang and the time she'd spent traveling with him, but she wanted to move on with her life.

She didn't have time to focus on the past. She had children of her own now, and being a single parent had it's challenges. Not to mention the constant threat of being taken by the Fire Nation to work in their labor camps. Katara had been forced to grow up a lot in the last ten years.

"Aang, I will never forget you, but my life is different now. I need to keep my eyes forward. Please, let me move on." Katara whispered into the night. Her words were quickly carried off by the wind. Suddenly, she was shaken out of her reverie by the quiet patter of feet behind her. She turned away from the sky and looked at the entrance of her tent. Two small heads popped out of the door flaps and stared wide-eyed at Katara.

"Mommy, who are you talking to?" The older of the two, a young girl with shoulder-length black hair and big brown eyes, asked. The other, a little boy with shaggy brown hair, simply stared up at Katara with concern.

"Are you alright?" He asked with a slight lisp. Katara smiled at both of them warmly.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was only thinking out loud." She knelt down beside them and wrapped her arms around them in a hug. "Now, what are you two still doing up?" Katara set her hands on their shoulders and looked at each of them sternly. "You were supposed to be in bed."

"But we're not tired." The girl pouted.

"Yeah, we want to stay up with you!" The boy added.

"Akira, Kanyo, you both need your sleep. Run off to bed and I'll come inside in a moment to tuck you in."

"Okay, Mommy." Akira said. There was disappointment in her voice, but she knew there was no use arguing with her mother. "Come on Kanyo, it's cold out here." She shivered and went back inside their tent. Her younger brother followed close on her heels.

Katara looked back towards the sky. "Aang, they mean the world to me. I don't know what I would do if something happened to them. Please, let their stubborn father come home. They need him in their life." She paused, then smiled sadly. "I miss you."

· · ·

_Twenty years after the rise of the Phoenix Lord_

Zuko woke suddenly out of a restless sleep. Sweat trickled down his forehead. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath.

"You will not humiliate me again!" Zuko shouted. He sat up in his bed with his fists clenched. "I'm no longer the scared kid that you pushed around!" As he sat in the darkness of his room, breathless, he suddenly became aware of where he was. He was aboard a barge bound for the Northern Water Tribe. That was where he needed to go to begin his search for the Avatar.

His cabin aboard the transport ship was not what he had been used to as son of the Fire Lord, but it was comfortable and dry, and no one seemed to bother him with prying questions. As his hand fumbled around for an oil lamp, a familiar voice from out of the darkness startled him.

"Having bad dreams nephew?" The voice said.

"U-Uncle?" A startled Zuko asked as he ignited his newly found lamp.

"Yes, it is me. It is good to see you again Zuko. Come, I have brewed us some tea." Zuko was now wide awake as he stared at his Uncle Iroh. He hadn't changed a bit since Zuko had last seen him fifteen years before. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the room's charcoal furnace with a pot of steaming tea and two tea cups laid out invitingly.

Zuko got out of bed and sat down in front of Iroh, who handed him a cup filled up to the top.

"I made your favorite. Ginseng tea." Iroh smiled at his nephew. "Or did you prefer Jasmine? I always get those two mixed up."

"What are you doing here Uncle?" Zuko snapped while grabbing the tea from Iroh's outstretched hand.

"My, my Zuko, I had hoped you would develop a better understanding of small talk and pleasantries as you matured. It seems that not all things come with age." Iroh grinned at Zuko, who frowned back in return.

"Very well, I shall forgive you for your lack of patience. I heard that you are trying to find the Avatar."

Zuko gave his uncle a puzzled look. How had he discovered his intentions?

"Yes. You know that I've been trying to stir up a rebellion over the past few years, but I've come to realize that the people just don't want to put up a fight. They're too timid and afraid." Zuko shook his head sadly. "But if they had an Avatar to rally behind, we might have a chance of overthrowing Ozai."

He picked up his cup and took a sip of the ginseng tea. It bought a smile to Zuko's normally solemn face. He hadn't realized how much he missed his uncle until now.

"How did you hear about my plans?" Zuko questioned.

"The White Lotus hears many rumors and secrets. When I received word of what you were setting out to do, I had to come see you for myself. I have important news to share with you." Iroh paused to drink some of his tea.

"My, this ginseng is delicious! I really have out done myself. What kind of coals do they use in this furnace?" Iroh opened the metal door of the furnace and sniffed inside. "I must make sure to ask someone about this."

"Uncle, please! What news are you talking about?" Zuko said impatiently.

"Oh! Yes of course." Iroh finished off his cup of tea and poured more to take it's place. "You are far too late arriving in the Northern Water Tribe. Their city is in ruins, and those that survived your sister's wrath were kidnaped and taken back to the Fire Nation."

"What?! But what about-"

"Wait. That is not all. It is highly likely that this ship is not, in fact, taking you to the Northern Water Tribe, but instead taking you to the Fire Lord." Iroh pulled a roll of parchment from his robes and unraveled it to reveal a picture of Zuko, along with text that offered a hefty reward for his capture.

"I discovered this in the captain's quarters. It seems you are not as inconspicuous as you previously thought Blue Spirit"

Zuko grabbed the paper from him and examined it for himself. It was stamped with his sister's seal. The seal of Fire Lord Azula.

"Uncle, we need to find this captain, and silence him for good." Zuko stood up and hurried over to a hook on the wall where he had hung his tunic.

"Nephew. Please sit. Have some more tea. It seems that I still have much to teach you, and today we will have a lesson on patience." Iroh gestured for him to sit down again, but Zuko didn't budge.

"I'm not a kid anymore uncle, I don't need your constant guidance. I can handle myself." No sooner had the words left his lips, that the door into Zuko's cabin burst open and four Fire Nation soldiers filed into the room. Before Zuko could react, one knocked him roughly to the floor while the others circled around him like sealsharks. Iroh shook his head in disappointment.

A fifth man walked into the room also dressed in Fire Nation garb. His grey hair was shaved short and he had a grisly beard that hung down from his chin.

"Former Prince Zuko I presume?" The man said as Zuko tried to scramble to his feet. One of the guards laughed and kicked him back down to the ground. "Fire Lord Azula will be very happy to see you again." He said as he stifled a laugh.

"Take the prince and this crazy old man to the brig, and inform The Fire Lord that we have her prisoner as promised. What a happy family reunion this will be!" He paused to snicker at his own joke. "Enjoy your time among the living while you can Zuko. We all know your sister isn't one for mercy."


	2. Chapter 2

"We've been out here all day and haven't caught a single lousy fish!" Kanyo complained as he threw down his fishing rod. His sister, Akira, and he were in their boat trying to gather food at the request of their mother. They had been out fishing for several hours and boredom was starting to get the best of Kanyo. He shifted in the boat as Akira plunged her spear into the icy South Pole water. She frowned as the fish she had her eyes on darted away.

"Maybe if you wouldn't shake the boat and scare all the fish away, we wouldn't still be out here!" Akira grumbled. She would have preferred to come out alone, but her mother had insisted that she bring her little brother along.

Today was Akira's sixteenth birthday, and so far it had been a pretty disappointing one. The year before, her mother had made her favorite foods, let her skip her chores, and had given Akira one of her most prized possessions, Gran Gran's betrothal necklace.

Akira kept the necklace with her at all times. It was a symbol of hope for her family, and the Water Tribe. It was great responsibility to bare, and she was proud that her mother had entrusted her with it. She remembered what her mother had told her when she had received it.

"Whenever we are separated and you feel alone, I want this necklace will remind you that I love you and I'm thinking about you always."

Akira smiled at the good memories. However, things had taken a turn for the worst in recent months. Word had gotten to the Southern Water Tribe that their sister tribe in the North had been destroyed by the Fire Navy. Several boats carrying Northerners had miraculously escaped the attack to get the news to them.

Akira's mother had taken several of the wounded refugees into her home to help heal them. Their burns ran deep, and it took many sessions with Katara's waterbending before any of them were able to even move at all. Akira helped her mother in any way she could, but she mostly felt like she was just getting in the way.

So this year there had been no celebration for Akira's birthday. She hated that she felt disappointed about it. Akira knew that her mother was very busy, and she felt stupid and selfish for expecting anything.

Akira sighed. "We are never going to catch anything here. We need to try a different spot." Kanyo nodded and grabbed an oar.

"No, I have a better idea" She said while slipping off her gloves. "This won't startle the fish." Akira focused on the water, feeling it's flows and ebbs, and gave a small push with her hands. Immediately the boat darted forward, and nearly knocked Kanyo out of it.

"Akira! What are you doing?" Kanyo said, grabbing the edges of the boat tightly. "Mom said you're not supposed to waterbend!"

Akira smirked. "Honestly Kanyo, who is going to see us out here? No one will know anything about my waterbending as long as you keep your mouth shut. It can be our little secret."

When it had been discovered that Akira had inherited the ability to bend water from her mother, she had been told of how dangerous it was to be a bender with the Fire Nation combing the Tribes for the new Avatar. Katara had warned her again after they had learned of the Northern Tribes fate.

"If the Fire Nation ever discovered that there were benders in the South Pole, they wouldn't hesitate to destroy every last village on the continent." Katara had explained to Akira one night. "But I have no doubt that you would be a great bender." She smiled proudly at her daughter. "You've already growing up to be such a strong young woman."

Akira brought the boat to a halt when she spotted a school of fish circling below the surface of the water. Kanyo was happy to be able to release the side of the boat from his knuckle-whitening grip.

"Let's not do that again." Kanyo said as Akira raised her spear above her head. She set her eyes on the largest and juiciest looking fish in the group. Suddenly, as she began to swing downward, something tugged on her sleeve.

"Akira!" Kanyo's now nervous voice called. There was an audible splash as Akira's spear angled awkwardly into the water. It missed it's mark and scattered the group of fish in all different directions.

Akira fumed silently for a moment before spinning around and grabbing Kanyo by the collar of his coat.

"Do you want us to starve to death!" She bellowed angrily into his face. It took her a second to realize why Kanyo had been startled. Snow had begun to flurry from the sky. This snow, however, was ashy gray in color.

"Fire Navy.." Akira whispered. Kanyo nodded his head hastily. "We need to get home!" She said while slipping her gloves back on.

"I'm guessing this time you want me to row?" Kanyo quipped as he grabbed the oar once again.

"As fast as you can." Akira ordered before whispering under her breath. "I hope Mom's alright."

· · ·

"For harboring known enemies of the Phoenix Lord and lying to an officer of the Fire Navy, I hereby place you under arrest."

Katara struggled as she was grabbed by two soldiers and thrown roughly out of her home and into the snow. She stumbled to her feet and raised her fists in defense. She thought about how easily she could take these two men with her bending, but there were at least a hundred soldiers around the village. If she was taken now, at least Kanyo and Akira would avoid imprisonment as well. If she tried to fight, there was no guarantee anyone would be safe.

"You want to fight me?" The Fire Nation officer laughed mockingly. "You are quite the feisty one aren't you?" Katara lowered her guard as the soldier's flanked her again and grabbed each of her arms.

"My, you are a fine woman to be sure." The officer held her by the chin and examined her face up close. Katara cringed at the smell his foul breath and tried to pull away. "It's not often that a gentleman such as myself has the honor to behold such an exotic beauty with his own eyes."

He tried to grin but it turned out looking more like a snarl. "Perhaps if you behave, I can pull a few strings have you come live with me in the Fire Nation." Katara shot him daggers with her eyes, and sent a glob of spit dribbling down the side of his flushed face.

Anger flared in the officers eyes. "Very well. I was prepared to show you mercy, but I'm afraid that's no longer an option for you!" He growled while slapping his hand hard across her face. Katara took the blow without putting up a fight.

"Don't touch my mother again!" A voice called from behind the officer. Akira stood defiantly with her back toward the setting sun. Her eyes burned with flaming intensity as she glared at the Fire Nation officer.

He turned and stared back coldly. "What are you going to do?" The shouting had caught the attention of the villagers in the area, and they watched the standoff nervously from the doorways of their tents. "Are you going to throw a snowball at me?" He scoffed. "Your tribe is weak and spineless. What makes you any different?" He turned to Katara and examined her again. "The Water Tribe's place is at the foot of the Fire Nation. It's time that all of you realize that." The officer grabbed Katara's arm and nodded to his men. "Take the girl." He ordered.

"No! Please!" Katara pleaded.

"Don't come any closer!" Akira warned as the soldiers approached her. They snickered and were clearly not intimidated at her threat. It was much to both their and Akira's surprise when an instant later, they were sent face first into the snow. For a moment, images flashed in Akira's eyes of people she had never seen before, and yet instantly recognized. She heard gasps from an astonished crowd. "That girl's a waterbender!" Someone yelled. As her vision cleared, she looked at her mother, whose eyes were wide with panic as the Fire Nation officer held her firmly by the arm.

Akira walked past the groaning soldiers who still were laying on the ground in a daze and toward the officer whose mouth was now agape. "Her eyes... what the hell?.. they're glowing." He said wearily.

"I told you not to touch my mother!" Akira growled venomously. A ring of flame formed from her hands and rose to circle around her head.

"No! It can't be!" The officer gasped and released Katara. He began to back away. Too quick for him to react, Akira sent a ball of fire hurling into his chest. He was knocked to the ground and in a moment Akira was on top of him, beating down on his head with her fists.

"Who's weak now!" She shouted in pure rage as she beat him senseless. Blood began to pour from the officer's nose. There was a stunned silence from the onlookers as the shocking events played out before them. People began to speak in hushed whispers and all came to the same conclusion. "Avatar" They murmured.

Katara had to pull her daughter from the limp body of the Fire Nation officer. Akira's eyes, which had been glowing a moment before, were now filled with tears.

"They can't take you away!" She weeped. "You can't let them!" Katara helped her up out of the snow and embraced her.

"Even when we're apart, I'll always be with you." Katara replied touching the necklace that Akira wore. Katara broke the hug and beckoned for her to follow inside their tent. "Come, we have much to discuss and very little time to do it, more soldiers are no doubt already on the way."

Kanyo met Katara at the doorway. He looked at her inquisitively.

"Yado and Iniri left. I gave them some leftover bread to take with them" He reported, referring to the refugees who had taken shelter in their home.

"Good, I hope they travel safely. Yado's wounds weren't fully healed." Katara replied. Akira stepped into the tent behind her. Her eyes were still red and there was a tear on her cheek.

"Why were you crying?" Kanyo asked bluntly. He was not a sensitive boy.

"Kanyo please. Leave your sister alone. She's.." Katara tried to think of the right word to say. "confused."

Akira sat down in front of the fire to warm herself. "What happened?" Akira asked her mother while resting her head in her hands. "It's all a blur."

"You used your waterbending... And you bent fire" Katara still hadn't come to the full realization of what that meant. She was still shocked by what had happened.

"How could I possibly bend water _and_ fire?" Akira laughed nervously. She knew the answer but was afraid to say it. Kanyo was the first to speak up.

"You're the Avatar!" He said. "Just like mom's friend Aang!" Katara had told them about her adventures as a young adult when she had the heart to. Often times the memories were too painful to be retold, but her children had always been eager to hear stories of when she was a girl. "He could bend all four elements. Water, Fire, Earth, and..."

"Air." Katara finished. "Aang was an Airbender, but in time he learned to master all the elements. The Avatar is an incredibly special individual. They bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual worlds. Akira, all this time I've been trying to protect you from the war that caused so much hurt to my friends and family, but now it's something you can no longer avoid."

Katara was already busy packing food into a large cloth sack. She pushed it quickly into Kanyo's hands then lifted a confused Akira up onto her feet.

"You and Kanyo need to leave. I'll stall the soldiers for as long as I can. Go to Kyoshi Island, you'll be safe there for the time being." She practically shoved the two out the back door flap.

"Mom, you have to come with us." Akira grasped Katara's hand.

"Your safety is more important than mine. I'll try to join you on Kyoshi as soon as I can" Katara smiled sadly. "Kanyo, your sister is in charge. Stay out of trouble, and be safe." She hugged Kanyo tightly while he struggled dramatically and claimed he "couldn't breath".

Once their goodbyes had been said, Akira and Kanyo trudged in silence into the cold, snowy night. The swirling snow was so thick, that soon their village was only a small fleck of yellow light in the dark tundra behind them. The heavy snowfall and vicious wind kept them from conversation. Whether they had anything to say was a different question entirely.

Akira didn't know what to think. She didn't even know what being an Avatar really meant. She didn't feel very special. She was afraid to think what might have become of her mother, and several times she thought of turning back. Despite her fears though, she continued her march through the snow.

The walk to the shore during the snowstorm took much longer than usual, and it was nearly half an hour later when they reached their boat. They would not have found the boat at all had it not been for Kanyo's keen eyes that spotted a small mound in the lay of the fallen snow. They decided that it was too dangerous to ship off in the middle of the storm, and so Akira suggested that they get some sleep. Kanyo found a outcropping of rock nearby their boat that cut them off from the worst of the snowfall and wind. There they fell into a quick, but quite restless sleep. Kanyo couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep in among the rocks of the Southern Pole's coast, and Akira was plagued with nightmares that would haunt her dreams for years to come.


End file.
